"Sorry to keep you waiting." Three simple words.
They made Leo's nose sting, and he nearly lost his composure.
Guss turned around to face the soldiers. His voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear: "By order of the Governor!"
Silence fell over the entire area.
"Leo Saint Gallus remains a loyal Knight!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a commotion rippled through the crowd. Some people breathed sighs of relief with smiles surfacing on their faces, while others began to whisper in low tones.
Guss knew that his word alone wasn't enough. He only represented Raynor's stance, not the conviction of everyone present. He raised his hand, signaling for silence. Then, he invited someone forward from the crowd.
The man wore the white robes of an Ecclesiarchy priest, a large set of Rosarius beads hanging at his chest and a heavy holy scripture gripped in his hands. His hair was white and his expression kind, but his eyes reflected an unquestionable loyalty.
Anthony Douglas. The Bishop of the Mid-Hive and the widely acknowledged successor to the position of Arch-Cardinal. In all of Brevis, his religious authority was second only to Goodwin himself.
Guss briefly introduced Bishop Anthony's identity to the assembly. Anthony then walked up to Leo and gave a slight bow.
"Lord Leo, if you are willing, I shall stand here before this assembly to prove your loyalty to the Emperor and to Brevis." He spoke softly, voicing the hope Leo had dreamed of.
Leo's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, but he didn't speak. He looked at Guss, who nodded. He looked at Hammond, and the Astra Militarum Commissar offered a rare, slight smile. Finally, he looked at the soldiers—the men who had fought by his side. Their eyes no longer held suspicion, but expectation.
He took a deep breath and lifted his head. "Yes!"
The ceremony began shortly after. A space was cleared in the center of the grounds. Bishop Anthony stood in the middle with Leo facing him. Representatives from all factions had gathered.
The soldiers of the Vanguard formed a perimeter. The priests and faithful of the Ecclesiarchy stood behind the Bishop. The representatives of the Governor's Mansion, led by Guss, stood to one side. Those surviving generals of the Noble Council were held nearby under guard, forced to watch. Even a purple-skinned, bald figure in a cyan robe was present—the envoy of the Ice Lord—standing at the edge of the crowd with a dozen Wildling warriors, silently observing.
Leo glanced at the crowd, feeling a surge of nervousness. He had always been thick-skinned and indifferent to others' opinions. As a child, when his father punished him by making him stand still, he could fall asleep on his feet. Later, leading armies and speaking before hundreds of thousands, he hadn't blinked.
But this time was different. This was proof—the proof that he could reclaim his honor and loyalty.
Bishop Anthony lifted the heavy scripture, flipped to a specific page, and held it before Leo. "Recite aloud Volume Seven, Chapter Three of the Words of the Emperor," he said, his voice solemn and majestic.
Leo took the scripture, looking at the dense text. He was literate, though during his noble education, he had always preferred swordsmanship and tactics while loathing these tedious scriptures. However, learning these texts was a mandatory course for every noble.
He took a deep breath and began to read: "Consistent through the ages, unmoving for ten thousand generations..."
His voice trembled slightly at first but grew steadier as he continued. Those tongue-twisting sentences actually began to take on a certain rhythm as he spoke. Everyone watched him intently. Leo finished the entire passage and looked up.
Bishop Anthony stared at him for several seconds, then nodded. If there were Chaos corruption in one's heart, they would show discomfort, hesitation, or other physiological reactions while reciting the Words of the Emperor. But Leo had read the first section steadily.
"Step one, passed."
The second step involved the Rosarius beads. Anthony removed the string of beads from his neck. This was a holy relic consecrated through the highest rites of the Ecclesiarchy; every bead was cast from the bones of martyrs and reacted with extreme sensitivity to Chaos energy.
He walked to Leo, lifted the beads, and pressed them gently against Leo's forehead. Leo felt a cold sensation on his brow, like something light brushing past, and then nothing. The beads showed no reaction.
Anthony stared at the beads for a moment before pulling them back and hanging them around his neck.
"Step two, passed."
A low cheer erupted from the crowd but was quickly suppressed. There was one final step.
The third step was the application of Holy Oil. A priest stepped forward carrying a small silver bowl. The bowl contained a pale gold liquid that emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Anthony dipped his finger into the Holy Oil and drew a sigil on Leo's forehead. It felt cool and slick, no different from ordinary oil. Then came the chest. Anthony unbuttoned Leo's tunic, revealing his sturdy muscles. He dipped his finger again and drew the same sigil over Leo's heart.
Leo held his breath and waited. Several seconds passed. No burning, no discoloration—again, nothing happened. The Holy Oil sat quietly on his skin, exactly as it would on any normal human being.
Anthony stepped back, examining Leo's forehead and chest. Then he turned to face everyone and raised both hands high.
"In the name of the Emperor, and in the name of the Ecclesiarchy!" His voice rang out like a bell. "I declare that Leo Saint Gallus's soul is pure and untouched by the corruption of Chaos!"
The crowd was silent for a single second before a roar of cheers exploded.
"Leo! Leo! Leo!"
The soldiers raised their weapons, shouting for the man they knew best: "General!"
Some cried, some laughed, and some looked up at the sky. They blessed Leo together, thanking the Emperor for his recognition. Some even tried to rush forward to embrace Leo before being held back by those around them.
The guarded members of the Noble Council had complex expressions. Some lowered their heads, not daring to look, or bit their lips in frustration. But they all knew that from this moment on, Leo was back. Even the Wildlings joined in the cheering. Though they likely had no idea what had just transpired, seeing so many people happy made them happy as well.
Leo stood there, watching it all. He stubbornly tilted his head back, holding it high. He knew that the moment he lowered his gaze, his tears would fall.
"Welcome back, General Leo!"
It was unclear who started it, but the phrase quickly spread through the crowd, turning into a rhythmic chant. Leo kept his head tilted back, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward. The sunlight hit his face, warm and inviting.